Date of Award

Winter 1-15-2026

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Major

Educational Studies

First Advisor

Martha Barry McKenna

Second Advisor

Anne Elezabeth Pluto

Third Advisor

Matthew Olson

Abstract

ABSTRACT

This research examined the transformative impact of participation in a community college

theatre program on students’ sense of belonging, confidence, and personal growth. Using a

multiple case study design informed by portraiture methodology, the study focused on five

students who took part in a semester-long production of The Rocky Horror Show. Data were

collected through in-depth interviews, field observations, the researcher’s reflective journaling,

and a pre- and post-semester self-esteem survey to investigate how theatre engagement shaped

students’ social and personal experiences. The program fostered a pedagogy of care emphasizing

mentorship, individualized attention, and the cultivation of a supportive ensemble. This

approach, grounded in principles of transformative learning, invited students to take creative

risks, reflect on their experiences, and develop new perspectives on themselves and their place in

the community. The theatrical process—through collaboration, storytelling, and performance—

served as both a learning environment and a catalyst for change. The findings reveal that students

described profound transformations, including increased confidence, stronger peer and mentor

relationships, and greater resilience in facing challenges. By framing these outcomes within the

traditions of transformative learning and a pedagogy of care, the study underscores how theatre

can extend beyond artistic training to foster belonging and personal growth among adult learners.

This research contributes to scholarship on the arts in higher education by demonstrating how

ensemble-based theatre, when taught through a caring and transformational lens, can create

lasting pathways to confidence, connection, and personal transformation.

Keywords: community college, theatre education, pedagogy of care, transformative

learning, belonging, confidence, personal growth, portraiture

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